Bannon

I disagree that someone who deliberately self-sabotaged, out of a profound sense of remorse, the attempt to obtain several million dollars, that was nearly within his grasp, that he had pursued for years, has an inherently weak conscience, or is in any real sense a sociopath. Gene/Saul/Jimmy is much more interesting than this. To me, he is consumed by rage, triggered by a (quite rational) sense of betrayal, and he allows that rage to help him rationalize profoundly immoral behaviors. He really does have an heavily grounded emotional grasp of what constitutes shameful conduct, however.

What I really appreciate about this plotting is that, unlike so much television and movie writing, it is so character driven. Stuff happens not randomly, or because it provides some action that's interesting for the audience to look at, but because the inner lives of the characters, on display for many years now, compels them to create the world the audience observes. That's why I think the two previous Gene-centric episodes were anything but tedious. They show us how Gene's thinking leads to Kim being compelled to re-engage with a life she's attempted to bury, and how Kim's reaction to Gene further drives Gene down the path of the pathologies he's displayed as Jimmy, then Saul, since season one. Really great stuff.

I get kind of surprised by the negative reactions to Cheryl, based on the little we've seen of her. She didn't want to be married to Howard any longer ( based on Howard's potential for being an A-hole, not a terribly shocking or irrational turn of events), but that doesn't mean she had no regard for him any longer. or that his death hasn't been terribly traumatic for her. Marriages can be incredibly complicated.

Cheryl could pursue action in civil court, or.whatever pertinent bar association applies, to prevent Kim from having anything to do with legal proceedings again, eccept as a defendant or plaintiff.

I do find it unlikely that the slab of concrete that was the floor of the superlab would not be closely examined eventually. The feds are still breaking up concrete, after almost 5 decades, to find the corpse of Jimmy Hoffa, for goodness sakes.

You don't think Cheryl is coming for her pound of flesh,if she learns that Kim is trying to become a lawyer again. or that Cheryl lacks the resources to get her pound of flesh?

Now that I think about it, drugging a fellow lawyer, as part of a larger effort to corrupt a legal proceeding that affects a lawsuit that involves activities in several states, really is the essence of a Federal conspiracy charge, it would seem to this non-expert. It kind would be noncredible that a Federal prosecutor wouldn't take a swing at it, given a completely cooperative offender. Saul's camera crew, the fake PI, anybody associated with plan to ruin Howard, would be implicated. I have no idea how the Federal Statute of Limitations applies.

She's submitted an afadavit to a prosecutor, in which she has admitted to feloniously drugging a fellow lawyer, as part of an attempt to corrupt a legal proceeding. She's never practicing law again.

While both Walt and Jimmy/Saul/Gene are obviously self'destructive, I think their mechanisms of anger leading to self destructiveness are slightly different. With Walt, it was always the wounded pride; he doesn't even decide to return to NM until he sees Gretchen and Elliot on television, dismissing Walt's contribution to Grey Matter. With J/S/G, the anger is borne of grief and a sense of loss, starting with his relationship with Chuck, now extending to his relationship with Kim. Doesn't make J/S/G any better than Walt, of course.

I suppose anything she did at Lalo's direction could be said to have been the result of coercion. That doesn't cover the felonious drugging of Howard, of course.

Could it be argued, within the realm of non-ridiculousness, that the felonious drugging of Howard (presumably admitted to in Kim's afadavit) was an essential element in his being exposed to Lalo's murderous activities?

In an episode filled with great scenes (and, imho, the two previous episodes were needed to build the foundation for this episode), the most impactful, to me, may have been the scene with Cheryl. I kept dreading Kim uttering the cliche of Howard not suffering, and then, when she inevitably did, Cheryl's reaction, writing and acting, was perfect; didn't suffer!? How dare you!? That scene, of course, was critical to the scene of Kim's breakdown on the shuttle bus,, one of the best dialogue-free scenes of grief I've watched in t.v. or movies. Just great writing.

Oh, with nothing but a confession, Kim is certainly right that a prosecutor may be reluctant to proceed, and absent Kevin Wachtel pushing for it, the MV fraud is not going to be prosecuted. That's before we get to Statute of Limitations issues. Make no mistake, however. Drugging people is a felony, and people have been convicted of felonies for taking $ from people, while deliberately and covertly not providing the service the people were told they'd be receiving. On the federal level ( which may apply here, since MV operates in several states, it's often described as "deprivation of honest services".

Certainly a possibility, although anything Lalo related provides a " I was in fear of my life" defense. The drugging of Howard is a open and shut example of a felony, however, which she presumably admitted to commiting.

Drugging Howard, which she presumably admitted to in her afadavit, is most definitely a felony. Sure. Fraud, or some variant of that charge.

Great insight. Wouldn't be surprised if Jimmy's dad said it to young Jimmy, after learning that YJ had been stealing from the store.

I also deeply appreciated the writers giving Howard's murder the consequential weight it deserved.

Back in season 1, I said this show was about loss, grief, anger, and self-loathing, that it was the saddest show I'd ever watched, and it was remarkable how it was, so often, simulteaneously, laugh out loud funny. This episode encapsulated all of that (yes, I laughed at Jeffy's taxi driving), and it was great, great, great, writing, acting, direction, cinematography. All of it.

Kim sabotaging Mesa Verde, as MV's attorney, was very likely criminal.

Been traveling, and didn't watch the Gene-centric episodes until this weekend. Unlike many, I thought they were good, with Gene going from " I need to fix the two knuckleheads who can snitch on me", to "Oh, that's right, I've been a Rage Machine ever since my brother snitched on me, by secretly recording me, and now I'm more enraged and possessed of malice than ever!!!!" It's worth reflecting on the Jimmy who once existed, who was willing to toil for years, scam-free, in a mailroom, all in pursuit of working alongside a brother he idolized, and being around a woman he loved. Even when he re-engaged Scam Life, that Jimmy couldn't bring himself to ruin the friendships of an elderly woman client. Jimmy's long gone, and Gene may even be worse than Saul. This is great writing.

Kim's behavior is certainly likely to reignite Cheryl's suspicions. Hell, maybe even old, slow, Cliff will begin to catch the inkling of a clue.

This is a great insight. Kim's self commentary in her speech to Jimmy is devastating, as devastating as any self commentary of a character in this universe, which means it ranks with Hank's frank description (to Marie) of his failings as a man, as he starts his slow climb to a sort of nobility, even though it still ends with his tragic pride being his demise. Also with Walt, after he has created a universe of suffering, finally admitting that he did it because it made him feel alive.

In terms of internet forums I've participated in, this is about the best, in terms of people being charitable, engaging in good faith, and having something to say. A lot of credit goes to the people who manage this site.

This thread really illuminates for me why I think BCS is among the best television shows I've ever seen, maybe better than BB. Thanks to all for participating, even (perhaps especially) those I've differed with.

Really disagree with the notion that expecting a contract to be fulfilled is immoral. Mesa Verde Kevin was a jackass, but not because of the terms he offered the old bastard who felt entitled to ignore the agreements he voluntarily entered into. Except I didn't dismiss Kim as a shitty person, nor was I being righteously indignant about Kim's choice. If somebody chooses to be awful, however, that choice can be extremely interesting, as is the case with Kim and Saul. That doesn't change the fact that they have chosen to be awful people, and there is no reason for the audience to avoid that reality, like both Kim and Saul have on multiple occasions. Manuel Vargas' interaction with Mike in this episode is all about this; stop lying to yourself about the person you are choosing to be.